The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-28
He Died Alone.

Long Branch Letter. News has
reached this city that Elisha John
Morrison. aged Is years, tho oldest
and wealthiest hermit in the state OF
New Jersey, is dying alone in his little
hut, situated about four miles south
of here on the road leading from As.
bury park to Poplar. Morrison has
lived q hermit life for nearly half q
century. He was at one time we'll
known produce merchant in New York.
The story of his life, his disappoint-
ment in love, and consequent life of
exclusion from the outside world is an
interesting one.
Fifty-eight years ago he was farm
boy, apprenticed to an old New Eng
land farmer named Syker. He dis.
liked the work, but stuck manfully
to it for six years, when his master
died leaving him in his will 500 cash.
It was more money than he had ever
seen before, let alone possessing. He
took it to one of the members of the
town directors and asked him what he
should do with it. The reply was,
"Go to school and learn something."
He took the advice and in four years
graduated from the local school with
high honors. Then he went to college,
and after a full course he put out his
shingle in Keene, N. H. It read:
elisha John Morrison, attorney at
law" Business was dull, and for a
long time it was a question whether he
could keep from starving. One day
about a year after he had started in
business q client came to him and ask
I'd If he could find O. purchaser for q
lot of grain which the man had to
sell. Morrison wrote to New York
grain merchant and by return mail he
received an order for the goods. His
commission on the transaction
amounted to about 500. The idea
Of starting an exchange for the sale of
grain for the farmers of the surround
ing country entered his head and he
invested the commission on the salein
renting q store. 1t was something
aew and novel to the farmers to have
: place to sell their produce so near
home, and as they got as good prices
or it as they could in Boston or any
Of the big markets they patronized
him. His business grew to such pro-
portions that he soon gave up his
practice and devoted his whole time
to his exchange. In couple of years
he started a branch store in Boston.
Business increased so rapidly that he
was unable to attend to it himself and
80 sold one-half his interest to Joseph
Coyle. Coyle was left in charge
stores while Morrison went to
New York and opened another.
Good fortune attended him, and in a
short time he retired with fortune
Of $500, 900. A month or so after he
mad been in New York he met very
beautiful young lady named Kate Kir.
by. He visited her regularly, and in
= year he became engaged to be mar
ried to her. The wedding was post
poned, however, from time to time,
and at last the lovers quarreled over
some trivial matter and parted.
Hardly week had passed after the
quarrel before Miss Kirby was mar.
ried to an intimate friend of Nor
rison. The latter seemed heart-brok-
On. and through lawyer he purchas-
I'd tho old Kirby farm, near Long
Branch, from an uncle of his old
sweetheart. He moved from the
sity Immediately and erected a dwell.
ing or. more correctly speaking a hut,
near the center OF the farm. and set
down to live in seclusion. From that
day to this no other human being has
ever been known to set foot across
the threshold OF his habitation.
Morrison is IS years old, OF medium
height, spare Fl CURE, and has short
stubble beard. His chief dislike is a
woman, and he will never, if he can
help it, look at one. He has no
known relatives. His money he is
supposed to keep buried on different
parts of the farm.